Process for treating emulsified hydrocarbon oil



Dec. 29, 1931. a. EGLOFF ETAL PROCESS FOR TREATING EMULSIFIED HYDROCARBON OIL) Original Filed Sept. 1, 1920 kww mv MN, N

still through charging Patented Dec. 29,. 1931 I UNITED STATES "PATENT OFF'ICE GUSTAV EGLOFF AND HARRY I. BENNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, SOUTH DAKOTA OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF PROCESS FOR TREATING EMULSIFIED HYDROCARBON OIL Continuation of application Serial No. 407,412, filed September 1, 1920. This application filed November 25, 1927. Serial No. 235,739.

This application is a continuation of our application, Serial No. 407,412 filed September 1, 1920.

This invention relates to improvements in cracking emulsified hydrocarbon oils, as for example, emulsified bottom settlings or California or Mexican emulsified crude oils.

The object of the invention is to simultaneously dehydrate and crack emulsified petroleum oils under pressure, while at the same time returning reflux condensate continuouslyto the still for further treatment freed from any water content.

In the drawing, the single figure shows a side elevation of the apparatus for carrying out the invention Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a furnace provided with burner 2, stack 3. In the furnace is mounted a still 4, consisting of headers 5 and tubes.6. Oil'is fed into the line 7, connected to charging pump 8, leading to any suitable source of raw oil supply.- A valve 9 may be interposed in the line 7. Emulsified oil in liquid phase passes out of the still through transfer line 10 to vapor chamber 11. This vapor chamber 11 is provided with liquid draw-Off line 12, controlled by throttle valve 13 and vapor outlet 14, controlled by throttle valve 15. The upper end of the pipe 14 projects into the loweri part of the dephlegmator 18 and reflux condensate is prevented from falling back into the pipe 14 through the spaced cap member 17 The steam and Oll vapors pass out of the g upper part of the dephlegmator through line 18, controlled by throttle valve 19 to condenser 20. This condenser coil 20 is seated in condenser box 21, which is maintained at a temperature above the boiling point of water at the pressure used. For example, at 100 pounds pressure, the temperature of the condenser coil 20 may be maintained at say 350 deg. F. The vapors which are not condensed in the coil 20 pass out of the coil 20 through line 22, controlled by valve 23, to a seated ina condenser box box is maintained at the boiling point of wa- 60 deg. F. The condenl:ondenser coil 24,

25. The condenser a temperature below ter, as for example,

.for example, 350 deg. F.

cooling coil 31, the oil passes through line 33 controlled by valve. 34 to, receiver 35. The receiver 35 is provided with liquid draw-01f pipe 38, controlled by throttle valve 39. This receiver is also provided with liquid level gauge and pressure gauge 41.

Referring now to the vapors which are condensed in the dephlegmator 16, they are drawn off through pipe 42, controlled by valve 43, to a cooling coil 44. This cooling coil 44 is seated in a cooling box 45, which is maintained at a temperature above the boiling point of water at the pressure used, as Any light oil or steam which may be trapped with the reflux condensate will pass out throu h the line 46, controlled by valve 47, to the line 22, leading to condenser 24. The reflux condensate controlled by throttle valve 49, back to the charging line 7.

If a uniform pressure is maintained on the system, the reflux condensate will flow ravity back into the charging line 7 in which case the valve in the line 48 is opened.

As a modified form of carrying out the process, instead of maintaining a uniform pressure, as for example 100 pounds on the entire system, a differential pressure may be maintained in the system through suitably regulating the valves shown. If the dephlegmator is maintained at a lower pressure than the still, then it will be necessary to pump the reflux condensate from the line 48 back to the charging line 7. This may be accomplished by closing the valve 50 and opening the valve 51 in the by-pass 52leadmg to the pump 53. f

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is l. A process of cracking emulsified petroleum oil, consisting in continuously passing the oil through tubes in a heating zone, taking oil the oil from said heating zone and passing itto a vaporizing chamber, removing the vapors from said chamber and subjecting them to a reflux condensing action, in freeing the reflux condensate from Water and light oil fractions, in returning the condensate from which the water and light oils have been separated to the heating zone, taking off vapors from the upper part of the reflux condenser and subjecting them to condensation and maintaining a vapor pressure on the oil during distillation, and while the vapors are subjected to one or more of said condensing actions.

2. A process of cracking emulsified petroleum oil, consisting in continuously passing the oil through tubes in a heating zone, taking oif the oil while in'a substantially liquid phase from said heating zone and passing it to a vaporizing chamber, removing the vapors from said chamber, and subjecting them to a reflux condensing action, in freeing the reflux condensate from water and light oil fractions, in returning the condensate from which the water and light oils have been separated to the heating zone, taking off Vapors from the upper part of the reflux condenser and subjecting them to condensation and troleum oil, consisting in maintaining a vapor pressure on the oil during distillation and while the vapors are subjected to one or more of said condensing actions.

3. A troleum oil, consisting in continuously passing the oil through tubes in a heating zone, taking off the oil from said heating zone and passing it to a vaporizing chamber, removing the vapors from said chamber and subjecting them to a reflux condensing action, in freeing the reflux condensate from water and light oil fractions, in returning the condensate from which the water and light oils have been separated to the heating zone, taking oif vadpors fromthe upper part of the re ux con enser and subjecting them to condensation and maintaining a vapor pressure during distillation.

4. A process of cracking emulsified pecontinuously passing the 011 through tubes in a heating zone, ta ring ofl' the oil from said heating zone and passing it to a vaporizing chamber, removing the vapors from said chamber and subeeting them to a reflux condensin action, in separating the reflux condensate 1 ter and light oil fractions and in passing the water freed reflux condensate continuously hack to said heating zone, taking ofl vapors from theupper part of the reflux condenser and SLJJSGtZlHg them to condensation, and

process of cracking emulsified pe-.

maintaining a vapor pressure on the oil during distillation.

5. A process for cracking emulsified petroleum oil comprising continuously passing the oil under a superatmospheric pressure through tubes in a heating zone, passing the oil from said heating zone to a vaporizing chamber, removing vapors from said chamber, subjecting them to a reflux condensing action, freeing the reflux condensate formed as a result of such reflux condensing action from any water and light oil fractions contained therein, and returning the condensate free from water and light oil fractions to said heating zone.

6. A process for cracking emulsified hydrocarbon oil, which comprises subjecting the oil to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, withdrawing the vapors therefrom and subjecting them to dcphlegmation, thereby separating suificiently cracked vapors from reflux condensate, passing the vapors through a zone in which the oil constituents. are condensed at'a temperature above 212 F., withdrawing steam from said zone for condensation, passing the reflux condensate through a similar zone. in which the same temperature conditions prevail, and steam is withdrawn for condensation, and returning the reflux condensate thus freed of water vapor to the original cracking zone.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. HARRY P BENNER. 

